How to Connect Ground Wires (Guide with Photos)
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Knowing how to tie a ground wire is very useful for many DIY projects. If your wires are too short and difficult to work with, the braid technique will come in handy. The pigtail simplifies excess wiring by bundling wires such as ground wires.
In this guide, I will teach you how to make pigtail ground connections in metal and electrical boxes, as well as how to make the perfect pigtail. As an electrician, I have to tie up ground wires from time to time and I can tell you it's pretty easy once you get the hang of it. Below I will provide simple explanations with photos to guide you through the process.
In general, for pigtail, ground, first turn off the power of the electrical box you are working with. Identify the neutral, ground, and hot wires of the main source cable. Then wrap the ground wire or wires together with pliers. Make sure the wires are securely twisted together. Cut off the sharp end and insert the twisted terminal into the wire cap.
What is a wired pigtail connection?
Electrical braiding is a method of extending wires or winding multiple wires together; then a conductor is left that can be connected to other electrical devices such as switches or sockets. Making a pigtail is very easy even for beginners.
To make a pigtail, use the following tools:
- Wire strippers
- pliers
- Cut off pieces of wire
Using a stripper, remove the insulating coating from the wires. Strip about ½ inch of insulation. You can then twist the bare ends of the wires before tying them in pigtails. Finally, insert the twisted terminal into the cap. Alternatively, you can use duct tape to wrap and insulate the wound part of the pigtailed wire.
How to ground metal boxes
Before you begin, you must turn off the power. You can tie the wires into pigtails with the power on if you have enough experience.
Using screws is the most reliable way to ground metal boxes and luminaire housings. But this is not the only grounding method.
The following are ways to ground a metal box:
Method 1: Use a green pigtail screw
- The first thing to do is unplug the power from the outlet or metal box.
- Go ahead and locate the ground wire from the main source cable. It is usually green or sometimes yellow.
- Use a wire stripper to remove approximately ½ inch of insulation from the ground wire or wires.
- Use pliers to twist the pigtail wire and ground wire together. Cut off the sharp edge of the terminal and insert it into the wire cap.
- If your metal box is being used, secure the green screw into the threaded hole on the back of the metal box.
- Now connect the equipment ground cables or pigtails to the screw on the metal box. Thus, the metal becomes part of the grounding system.
- Tighten the connection and then put everything back in the metal box. Replace the cover and restore power.
Method 2: Use ground clamps to ground the metal box
This is an alternative (and approved) method that you can use to conveniently ground your metal box. The clip is a recognized piece of hardware and it works great.
Steps:
- Attach the clip to the edge of the metal box.
- Ensure that the clamp securely secures the equipment ground wire to metal.
Note: Do not bend the exposed ground wire so that it touches the inside of the Romex connector when the cable enters the metal box. This is a big red flag and you can be fined by electrical inspectors. Also, this is not a feasible way to create a long-term, low-impedance ground.
How to ground plastic boxes
While metal boxes can be grounded using screws and ground clamps, plastic boxes are grounded differently. However, it is necessary to mark the equipment ground wire to the chassis to ground switches and sockets.
The following procedure will help you ground the plastic box:
- Similarly (compared to metal boxes), place the green or yellow wire from the main power cable in the box - the ground wire. You may have multiple ground wires going to different loads such as an outlet and a light fixture. Strip the insulation cover about ½ inch and twist the ground wires together.
- Now take your bare copper wire or pigtail and wrap it around the ground wire with a pair of pliers. Insert it into the wire cap. (1)
- Attach a pigtail to the equipment ground conductors in the two cables to secure them to the ground screw. That is, if another cable comes out of the box to power downstream devices.
- Finally, secure the pigtail to the green screw and carefully return everything to the plastic box. Restore power and check connection. (2)
The pigtail maintains ground continuity even when downstream devices are removed.
Take a look at some of our articles below.
- How to connect ground wires to each other
- How to check the power supply of a PC with a multimeter
- What to do with the ground wire if there is no ground
Recommendations
(1) copper - https://www.rsc.org/periodic-table/element/29/copper
(2) Restore nutrition - https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/
engineering and energy restoration
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